Sampit Elementary is a small school with a lot of heart, as well as community and business support. We’re in Georgetown county for our Cool school of the week.

Principal Sabrina Goff-Mack says, “Sampit is a small community school. The community supports many of our programs. We have the churches who support our mentoring program. We have backpack buddy. We have a strong partnership with the Black River United Way. Through the Black River United Way we are receiving summer programs. They fund our summer programs. We also receive a grant through the Black River Untied Way to support a parenting coordinator.”

With more than three-hundred students, SES serves students in pre-k through 5th grade. Goff-Mack says, “We offer rigorous academics. In addition to that, we’re trying to make sure our students are great leaders, effective communicators, all of the things it takes for them to be successful. We work really hard to develop well rounded children, which is one of the reasons we started our community meetings.

Their school theme is, “Growing Great Leaders.” Leadership training is provided during weekly community meetings. “Our community meetings are a time for us to teach our students the character traits, as well as leadership traits. They are led by our panther ambassadors, and that’s a group of about 12 to 14 students who have been trained in leadership traits, and when I say lead, they facilitate the meetings,” says Goff-Mack.

Student ambassadors also serve as mentors and make up the school’s Safety Patrol. Fifth-grade student Aundrea Simpson says, “We are a Cool School. We all have these amazing activities that we do like the community meetings. We have Panther jobs and the PBIS trips.”

To help build leadership skills, students can also apply for jobs at school. Administrative coordinator Clay Cook says, “It’s a new initiative we started this year for third, fourth, and fifth grade students. We opened jobs for them to teach them responsibility, and help them prepare for future roles. They apply for jobs, and understand what comes along with it.”

Some classes also offer flexible seating. First grade teacher and teacher of the year Deanne Wilson says, “Its home. You come, you feel welcome, and loved. I think our community is small, and we get along together. They have a lot of after school programs, on Wednesdays they get to do with their clubs, which I think is pretty cool.”

Sampit has several community partnerships. The school has a business partnership with Santee Cooper Winyah Generating Plant. Funding supports the school’s PBIS/Character Education program. The Kiwanis of Pawleys Island also supports the shcool’s reading efforts by purchasing books for second and third grade students. They also have partnerships with local churches and organizations that support their Backpack Buddies program: St. Peters Lutheran Church, St. Paul A.M.E., and Sunshine Backpack group. Backpack buddies provide some students with healthy snacks for the weekend. Also Lighthouse of Jesus Christ Church sponsors a mentoring group for boys in grades 4th and 5th.